when he returned to his room at the YMCA and, at the time of his
arrest, he had over $600 in his possession, He claimed to have won
the money on the preceding night at the races but he was unable to
give the names of the horses on which he had bet or the odds paid,
He was taken to Muse's bedside where the dying man who expired on
May 23 rallied long enough to name him as his attacker and addition-~
ally several witnesses swore that they had seen the two men enter the
cemetery together and Ratcliffe rund out alone, His first KEKXK trial}
resulted in a mistrial but at his second trial he was convicted and
sentenced to die, After his case had been unsuccessfully appealed
to the Kentucky Court of Appeals, Ratcliffe feigned insanity but
immediately prior to his execution, he admitted that he had been
shamming and said that he had done so in an effort to HEXE save his
life, He was electrocuted at the Kentucky State Prison on June 13,
1930.6
21 SOUTHWESTERN (2nd) )h1 ,
LOUISVILLE COURIER-JOURNAL, Louisville, Ky., May 21, May 22, May 2h,
1928; June 13, 1930 K
Wate 9 [A TSV ee 4; Ag:
when he returned to his room at the YMCA and, at the time of his
arrest; he had over $600 in his possession, He claimed to have won
the money on the preceding night at the races but he was unable to
give the names of the horses on which he had bet. or the odds paid,
He was taken to Muse's bedside where the dying man who expired on
May 23 rallied long enough to name him as his attacker and addition-
ally several witnesses swore that they had seen the two men enter the
cemetery together and Ratcliffe rund out alone, His first K#¥XX trial
resulted in a mistrial but at his second trial he was convicted and
sentenced to die, After his case had been unsuccessfully appealed
to the Kentucky Court of Appeals, Ratcliffe feigned insanity but
immediately prior to his execution, he admitted that he had been
shamming and said that he had done so in an effort to H#X# save his
life, He was electrocuted at the Kentucky State Prison on June 13,
1930.
21 SOUTHWESTERN (2nd) lit
LOUISVILLE COURIER-JOURNAL, Louisville, Ky., May 21, May 22, May 2h,
1928; tS 13, 1930 KE.
Watoce % TATE ee er AY:
when he returned to his room at the YMCA and, at the time of his
arrest, he had over $600 in his possession, He claimed to have won
the money on the preceding night at the races but he was unable to
give the names of the horses on which he had bet or the odds paid,
Ee was taken to Muse's bedside where the dying man who expired on
fay 23 rallied long enough to name him as his attacker and addition-
ally several witnesses swore that they had seen the two men enter the
cemetery together and Ratcliffe rund out alone. His first X®KAX tria
resulted in a mistrial but at his second trial he was convicted and
sentenced to die, After his case had been unsuccessfully appealed
to the Kentucky Court of Appeals, Ratcliffe feigned insanity but
inmediately prior to his execution, he admitted that he had been
shaming and said that he had done so in an effort to MRK® save his
He was electrocuted at the Kentucky State Prison on June 13,
0.
21 SOUTHWESTERN (2nd) Lh2
LOVISVILLE COURIER-JOURVAL, Louisville, Ky., May 21, May 22, May 2h,
1928; June 13, 1930
Wala g VUE! eda Aq.
Matin. 3 | Butter &, 4
Ratcliffe, a 39-year-old white man, was an insurance agent who moved
to Louisville, Ky., and rented a room at the YMCA located on Third
St. and Broadway in October, 1927. He ate his meals at a boarding
house and there became acquainted with William A. Muse, a retired
carpenter, who carried a large sum of money which he indiscreetly
liked to show to his, fellow boarders, In an effort to insinuates his
way into Muse's confidence, Ratcliffe developed a friendship with the
elderly man and tried for some time to sell him an. insurance phdlicy,
As a fellow boarder, he was aware of Muse's habit of going to the
grave of his deceased wife in St, Louis'scemetery each Sunday morning
for the purpose of placing fhowers on the grave and on the night of
May 19, 1928, he made arrangements to accompany Muse to the cemetery,
Broke and $35 behind in his rent at the YMCA, Ratcliffe managed to
acquire enough money to purchase a new hammer and when he met Muse
on the morning of May 20th, he was carrying the weapon, concedled in
an umbrella, When Muse knelt before his: wife's grave, Ratcliffe
bludgeoned him over the head with the hammer, fracturing the skull in
three places, and stole $1,020 from his pockets befine fleeing from
the cemetery, Shortly afterwards Muse was found wandering, blood
dazed, through the cenetery and taken to a hospital where he names —
Ratcliffe as his assailant. Ratcliffe was arrested that afternoon
RATCLIFFR, Ballard &,
Ratcliffe, a 39-year-old white man, was an insurance agent who moved
to Louisville, Ky., and rented a room at the YMCA located on Third
St. and Broadway in October, 1927. He ate his meals at a boarding
house and there became acquainted with William A. Muse, a retired
carpenter, who carried a large sum of money which he indiscreetly
liked to show to his, fellow boarders, In an effort to insinuates his
way into Muse's confidence, Ratcliffe developed a friendship with the
elderly man and tried for some time to sell him an, insurance phlicy,
As a fellow boarder, he was aware of Muse's habit of going to the
grave of his deceased wife in St, Louis'scemetery each Sunday morning
for the purpose of placing fihowers on the grave and on the night of
May 19, 1928, he made arrangements to accompany Muse to the cemetery.
Broke and $35 behind in his rent at the YMCA, Ratcliffe managed to
acquire enough money to purchase a new hammer and when he met Muse
on the morning of May 20th, he was carrying the weapon, concealed in
an umbrella. When Muse lmelt before his‘wife's grave, Ratcliffe
bludgeoned him over the head with the hammer, fracturing the skull in
three places, and stole $1,020 from his pockets befine fleeing from
the cemetery. Shortly aft a j
dazed, through the Petey na Poem ya encee! ae
Ratcliffe as his assailant. Ratcliffe was arrested that afternoon
RATCLIFFE, Ballard ©,
Ratcliffe, a 39-year-old white man, was an insurance agent vho moved
to Louisville, Ky,, and rented a room at the YMCA located on Third
St. and Broadway in October, 1927. He ate his meals at a boarding
house and there became acquainted with William A, Muse, a retired
carpenter, who carried a large sum of money which he indiscreetly
Liked to show to his, fellow boarders, In an effort to insinuatal his
wey into Muse's confidence, Ratcliffe developed a friendship with the
elderly man and tried for some time to sell him an, insurance p&licy,
As a fellow boarder, he was aware of Muse's habit of going to the
grave of his deceased wife in St, Louis'cenetery each Sunday morning
for the purpose of placing flowers on the grave and on the night of
May 19, 1928, he made arrengenents to accompany Muse to the cemetery.
Broke and §35 behind in his rent at the YMCA, Ratcliffe managed to
acquire enough money to purchase a new hammer and yhen he met Muse
on the morning of May 20th, he was carrying the weapon, concealed in
an umbrella, When Mise kmelt before his wife's grave, Ratcliffe
bludgeoned him over the head with the hammer, fracturing the skull in
three places, and stole $1,020 from his pockets befapr fleeing from
he cemetery. Shortly afterward: wenderi jody
Based; through theideretere tna recone Pete ete ee
Ratcliffe as his assailant, Ratcliffe was arrested that afternoon
=
oe
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